This invention relates in general to vehicle operator compartments and, in particular, to mounting an operator's compartment to a vehicle in a manner which reduces the operator's exposure to noise, shock and vibration.
More specifically, but without restriction to the particular use which is shown and described, this invention relates to an operator's compartment which is mounted to a vehicle frame in a manner designed to isolate the compartment from the frame, thereby reducing the transmission of noise, vibration, and shock from the vehicle frame to the compartment. The invention has provisions for anchoring the operator's seat mounting directly to the frame and for equipping the vehicle with a roll-over protective structure, an environmental cab, and the like. While this invention has general application for reducing noise, shock and vibration, for convenience of illustration the preferred embodiment will be described with reference to an operator's compartment of an earthmoving vehicle, although it is not intended to be limited thereto.
Typically, operators of earthmoving equipment are exposed to varying degrees of noise, shock and vibration caused by the vehicle engine and hydraulic operating systems, ground contact, and movement over uneven terrain. Due to the harmful effect on operators who are exposed to the aforesaid conditions over prolonged periods, legislation intended to improve operator comfort and safety has been passed. Typically such legislation limits vehicular noise emission levels and requires that equipment be fitted with roll-over protective structures (ROPS) or rollbars, as shown in the inventor's patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,527,474. Attempts to provide a solution to the excessive noise problem include requiring that the operator wear ear plugs or noise-suppressing ear muffs, using various engine muffling devices, or surrounding the engine compartment with a noise-suppressing enclosure. Another solution has been to isolate the operator within a cab or compartment as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,851, which, in addition, may be fully enclosed and insulated with sound absorbing material. While these solutions, whether used alone or in combination, significantly reduce operator exposure to noise, they have not been satisfactory solutions to the multiple problem of noise, shock, and vibration transmission directly from the vehicle frame to the operator compartment, roll-over protective structure or environmental cab.
The present invention is an operator's compartment mount which isolates the operator's compartment from the vehicle frame. The ROPS rear mount is an integral part of the frame, and the operator's seat mount is secured directly to the frame. To attain these objectives the front portion of the ROPS canopy is mounted directly to the operator's compartment, and the rear portion is isolated from the frame.